7/23/2003

THE RAIN did little damage but the winds brought by typhoon "Harurot" (international codename: Imbudo) shook much of Metro Manila.
Packing winds of up to 190 kilometers per hour near the center, "Harurot" toppled trees and cut power lines and prompted schools in the metropolis to suspend classes in elementary and high school by noon.

In Quezon City, government employees were sent home at 2 p.m. as trees and billboards fell on the streets.
Fortunately, no one was reported hurt, said Noel Lansang, special operations officer of the city's Department of Public Order and Safety.
Several trees along Congressional Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, Scout Chuatoco corner Scout Santiago and Scout Reyes corner Jasmin Street in Barangay Roxas were uprooted.
A waiting shed on Barangay South Triangle near the GMA TV station on EDSA collapsed.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said there was only "pocket flooding" in some areas which also quickly subsided.
MMDA undersecretary Cesar Lacuna said some of the flooding was due to the improper disposal of trash.
He cited the flooding at the EDSA-Kamuning flyover in Quezon City. "We discovered that pieces of plastic had clogged the flyover's drainage pipes," Lacuna said.

The perennially flooded streets of Malabon City were underwater but remained passable.
However, Malabon City social welfare officer Evelyn Moreno told the Inquirer that had the rains coincided with a tide higher than the 1.2 meters recorded Tuesday, the floodwater could have been deeper.
Roxas Boulevard was flooded Tuesday after winds threw Manila Bay's water inland, causing heavy traffic.
Food stalls along the recently improved Baywalk folded for the day because huge waves threatened to swamp and sweep them away.

Marikina City, which used to be a flood-prone area, did not receive any reports of flooding, according to Rescue 161 nurse Cupido Angeles.
The Tumana bridge, which is used as a shortcut between Marikina and Quezon City, remained passable.
Angeles said the water level of the Marikina river remained at 12.1 meters as of press time, way below the critical level of 15 meters.

In Caloocan City, "Harurot" forced bus companies to reduce provincial trips due to a smaller number of passengers.
Victory Liner terminal master Danny Bernardo said they had to reduce their trips Tuesday from the usual 80 to 60. Tina Santos, Margaux Ortiz, Edson Tandoc Jr., Tarra Quismundo and Luige del Puerto

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